Water-turbine.



T. B. LEE. WATER TURBINE. APPLICATION FILED DBO. 22,1908.

962,364, Patented June 21, 1910.

7SHEETS-SHEET 1.

ANDREW a. GRAHAM cu. PHOTO-UTMOGRAPNERS, WASNINGYON D c.

T. B. LEE.

WATER :IURBINE. APPLIOATION FILED DBO.22,1908.

Patented June 21,1910.

7 8HEETS-8HEBT 2.

T.-B. LEE.

WATER TURBINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.22,1908.

Patented Julie 21,1910.

'7 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

avwewbozx B.-LEE.

' WATER TURBINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEO,22,1908.

Patented June 21, 1910.

7 BHEBTSBHEET 4.

ANDREW B GRAHAM cu FWJTO-LIYHOGRAPNERS,WASHINGTON. D. a

T. B. LEE

WATER TURBINE.

' APPLICATION FILED DEG-22, 1908.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

-NDREW B GRAHAM c0. PHgTo-Llmosmmzns, wAsmNaTou, ac

Patented June 21, 1910.

T. B. LEE.

WATER TURBINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.22,1908.

962,364,, Patented June 21,1910.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

ANDREW a QRAMAM co, PMOTO-UYHOGRAPNERS. WASHINGTON, o. a

T. B. LEE.

WATER TURBINE APPLICATION FILED D130. 22, 1908.

Patented June .21, 1910.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 7.

ANDREW a GRAHAM b0. PHOTO-UINOGRAFNERS. WMHINGTON, n. c.

UNTE

THOMAS B. LEE, 01? CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA.

WATER-TURBINE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS B. LEE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Charlotte, in the county of Mecklenburg and State of NorthCarolina, have invented cer tain new and useful Improvements inWVatenTurbines, of which the following is a specification, referencebeing had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to fluid motors, including those adapted to beactuated by water under pressure.

There is embodied in the machine a spiral terminal of a feeder-conduitso constructed as to deliver the actuating fluid to the driving elementin the proper manner to pro duce the highest efficiency.

The invention also contemplates the provision of a novel form of rotoror Wheel having two series of buckets so arranged that the actuatingfluid engaging the rotor is smoothly divided by abutments between thebuckets and diverted evenly to each side into each series of buckets,the fluid flowing at approximately right angles to the rotorshaft whenit strikes the abutments, and the buckets being of such shape as to giveit then an axial movement and then a movement parallel and in oppositedirection to the inflowing fluid, by which time its entire force hasbeen exerted on the rotor. The tendency of the actuating fluid in oneseries of buckets to impart axial movement to the rotor in one directionis counterbalanced by its tendency in the other series to impart axialmovement in the opposite direction, whereby end thrust is avoided.

Each series of bucket-blades is provided with a centrally-arrangedabutment which passes entirely around the rotor and under which thefluid passes during its axial movement in the buckets. Forming a runningjoint with each of these abutments is a partition which divides theinflowing fluid under pressure from the spent fluid passing out of thebuckets on the other side. The abutments and partitions not only aid indetermining the path of fluid in the buckets and eliminate staticpressure on the rotor,

but they also brace the bucket-blades at places intermediate theabutments thereof where great strain is exerted.

Associated with the feeder-conduit and rotor are guide-blades arrangedto properly direct fluid to the rotor and carrying movable gates ofnovel construction, whereby Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 22, 1908.

Patented June 21, 1910.

Serial No. 468,723.

delivery of fluid to the rotor is controlled, andwhereby a properopening to the rotor is maintained at all positions of adjustment, withthe result of good action on the rotor The invention provides for thegates an easily-operable and conveniently-accessible controllingmechanism of novel construction and arrangement.

The rotor-casing is formed with endheads which may be easilydisconnected to give access to and permit removal of the rotor whendesired, and on one of these heads the actuating devices of themechanism for controlling the gates are mounted. The lateral portionsof-the rotor-casing are constructed in a novel manner conducive ofstrength and of properly supporting the spiral terminal of thefeeder-conduit.

WVhen read in connection with the description herein, the details ofconstruction and arrangement of parts contemplated by this inventionwill be apparent from the accompanying drawings, forming part hereof,wherein an embodiment of the invention as applied to a hydraulic motoris disclosed, for purposes of illustration.

Like reference-characters refer to corresponding parts in the severalviews of the taken longitudinally of the drive-shaft; Fig.

3 is a section on the line 22, Fig. 4 is a section on the line y-t, Fig.5 is a section on the line 0c00, Fig. 2; Fig. 6 is a view of the rotor;Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view illustrative of a rack movement type ofgate control; Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view illustrative of a linkmovement type of gate control; Fig. 9 is a plan view of a guide-blade;Fig. 10 is a plan view illustrative of the rack movement type of gatecontrol; Fig. 11 is a section thereof;

2 2 Fig.

Fig. 12 is a plan view illustrative of the link of the link type of gatecontrol.

Having more particular reference to the drawings, 15 designates afoundatlon, support, or casing member, wherein, or constituting which,is a draft or exhaust conduit 16 leading from the machine. A member .17,forming the base of the machine, is

bolted, or otherwise suitably secured, to member 15.

Rising from each side of base member 17 and extending over the machineat each end are casing-plates 18, forming in conjunction with afeeder-conduit terminal 19 the sides of the casing of the machine.Formed at or near the outer edge of each casing-plate is a flange 20, towhich flanges are attached end cover-plates or heads 21. The heads carrycentrally-arranged outwardly-extending stuffing-boxes and bearings 22 inan easily-accessible position, wherein is journaled a drive-shaft 23,which carries within the casing a rotor or bucket element 24. The inneredges of casing-plates 18, above base member 17, are extended outwardlyto form flanges 25, and these flanges extend at the bottom through basemember 17 to form complete rings disposed entirely around the rotor.

The feeder-conduit terminal 19 leading to the casing is in spiral form,and it gradually diminishes in size around the casing and through thedraft-conduit until the material of its outer convolution meets thelower material of its entrance portion where an inwardly-extending lip26 is formed. The portion of the terminal surrounding and adjacent tothe casing is open between the two flanges or rings 25, to which thematerial of the terminal is attached or with which it is made integral,whereby the terminal is secured to and'supported on the machine.Attached to and extending inwardly from rings 25 are annular partitionabutments or rings 27 extending entirel around the rotor.

The rotor 24 is provic ed with duplicate series of blades 28 formingbuckets 29 which are separated by an annular sharp central abutment 30.Attached centrally to the periphery of eachseries of blades is anannular abutment or ring 31 having an exterior annular groove 32therein, into which rings 27 project and form therewith running jointssufliciently loose to permit free rotation of the rotor and suflicientlytight to obviate all, or nearly all, static leakage therethrough. Inthis manner partitions are provided between the inner or receiving sidesof the buckets and the outer or discharging ends. The two series ofbuckets formed in the rotor are so placed as to equally receive fluidfrom the peripheral opening from the feeder-conduit terminal, the fluidin its radial movement against the rotor being smoothly divided by thesharp abutment 30 and being directed by the curve of the bucketformation axially under the partitions formed by rings 27 and 31 andthen radially in a direction opposite to that of entrance, by which timeits force is spent and it flows out through exhaustpassages between thepartitions, rotor, and

casing-plates 18 and down into draft-conduit 16. It will be seen thatthe casing is sufficiently removed from the rotor on the discharge endsto permit the free flow of spent fluid radially therefrom, that therotor is not only impelled by the flow of the fluid thereinto but alsoby its discharge therefrom,

; and that there is no energy wasted by axial discharge or leakagebetween the buckets and a casing of the type that engages all of theperipheral edges of the buckets except at the place of entrance. Theaxial impulse of the fluid in the two series of buckets being inopposite directions, all axial thrust on the rotor is avoided.

I To conduct fluid from the feeder-conduit at a proper angle into theabutting sides of the buckets separated by the abutment 30, guide-blades33 are radially arranged about the rotor with their inner edges justclearing the bucket-blades, and they have disposition in secant linesapproaching the rotor in the direction of its rotation, whereby theactuating fluid is deflected into the buckets in that direction. Theseblades 33 extend across the full width of the peripheral opening of thefeeder-conduit terminal from one ring 27 to the other, and they areterminally attached to and supported by these rings. They are formedwith curved outer ends 34, to prevent the sharp separation of enteringwater, thus making an easier entrance between the blades. Eachguide-blade at its inner end is formed with a protuberance or ridge 35extending entirely thereacross, and intermediate its inner and outerends with a somewhat similar protuberance or ridge 36 which does notextend to its edges. These protnberances or ridges may be made solid orin the form of antl-friction rollers.

Carried by each guide-blade 1:. a regulaton gate 37, which is a plateof. the full width of the opening of the feeder-conduit termi nal to therotor, and it rests upon the protuberances 35 and 36. Its outer portion38 engages the blade-protu-berances 36, it is movable thereon, and hasdisposition generally parallel with the second line of the blade. Theinner portion 39 of the gate is deflected in direction of rotation ofthe rotor in such-manner that it lies in a line substantially tangentialthereto when closed. A rib or protuberance 40 is formed on the back faceof portion 39. Each gate is formed with perforations 41 to relieve unduepressure of actuating fluid thereon.

On each side of every gate, on the face opposite to its guide-blade, isa longitudinally-disposed rack 42 having blank longitudinal portions orlateral edges 43. A pinion 44 meshes with each rack, and it has aperipheral blank portion or on each side of its teeth blank rims 45which engage the blank portion of the rack. Vhile water pressure willtend to keep a gate against its guide-blade, engagement of the blankportions of the pinion and rack will also prevent lifting of the gateand reliably maintain it in position against the protuberance 36 of theguide-blade thereunder. In order, also, to hold the gate upon the innerblade'protuberance 35, lugs 46 project from rings 27 and engage the gateat places opposite to that protuberance.

Pinions 44 are carried by shafts 47 journaled in rings 25 and 27 and inthe flange 20 of one of the casing-plates 18, there being one shaft forevery pair of pinions. At their ends beyond flange 20 the shafts 47 areprovided with spur-pinions 48. To actuate shafts 47 anexteriorly-toothed ring 49 is positioned in mesh with the spurpinions.This ring is supported and held in place by flanged rollers 50, whichengage the inner periphery thereof, and which are journaled on studs 51projecting from the casing-head. Journaled in and projecting from thehead is a regulator-shaft 52, carrying a pinion 53, in mesh with a rack54, formed in the inner periphery of ring 49 between two of the rollers.On the outer end of shaft 52 is a wheel 55, whereby the shaft may bemanually rotated, or the shaft may be equipped with some other suitableelement associated with an automatic governor for having rotationimparted to it.

Instead of the regulator-gates 37 being provided with racks 41 andpinions 44 in mesh therewith, the gates may be formed with slots 56 nearthe side edges. Inserted through the slots from the edges of the gatesare pins 57, on which are pivoted links 58, which latter are pivotallyconnected to arms 59 on the shafts 47. Slots 56 are sulficiently long topermit the free movement of the links. The outer protuberance 36 of aguide-blade on each end is stopped short of the sides, as alreadydescribed, in order that it may not interfere with the movement of anypart of the link that may project through the slot. In this case, also,segmental racks 60 would be substituted for 'the spur-pinions 48 in meshwith the ring 49. In this form, too, lugs 61 would project from rings 27and engage the regulatorgates opposite to the outer protuberances 36.these studs performing the function of the racks and pinions in holdingthe gates in position on the blades and being used in addition to thelugs 46.

It will be apparent that the actuating fluid flows from the spiralfeeder-terminal into the spaces between the guide-blades carrying theregulator-gates to the rotor. In order to prevent any fluid from makingsuccessive revolutions around the series of blades and gates, the lip 26is connected to the guide-blade nearest thereto, or it may be formedintegral therewith, whereby an effective stop is formed.

To regulate the flow of fluid between the guide-blades to the rotor, theshaft 52 is rotated, either by hand or by agovernor, and thus the ring49 which simultaneously rotates the shafts 47 through theinstrumentality of the spurpinions 48 or segmental racks 60, as the casemay be. Upon rotation of shafts 47, the regulator-gates 37, through theinstrumentality of racks 42 and pinions 44 or of the links 58 and arms59 as the case may be, will be simultaneously moved toward or from therotor to close or open them, dependent upon direction of rotation of theshafts. When rotation is in proper direction to open the gates, theyrecede outwardly from the rotor along the guide-blades. In their closedapproximately tangental position adjacent to the rotor, the innerprotuberances 35 of the guide-blades engage the protuberances 40 tomaintain this position; and, as the gates recede from the rotor thefirst movement is approximately tangential until their protuberancespass off the protuberances 35, when the inner portions of the gatesassume positions alongside of and have movement more nearly parallel tothe inner portions of the blades. By the time the opening movement iscompleted, the outer ends of the gates will have accommodated themselvesbehind the curved outer ends of the guide-blades, by which they areprotected and by which their projection into the path of the inflowingfluid is avoided. It will thus be seen that, as the gates are housedclosely against the guideblades when in open position, they offer nointerference to the passage of fluid between the guideblades. Also, asthe first movement of the gates in opening is approximately tangentialto the rotor, the gates are permitted to remain close thereto wit-htheir directingedges in position to properly divert the fluid into thebuckets when the gates are partly open. WVhen rotation of shafts 47 isin a direction opposite to that just described, the gates are closed orpartly closed, dependent upon duration of rotation of the shafts, with amovement the reverse of that described.

The several gates shown in Figs. 7 and 8 are in the different positionsof closed, partly closed, and open. It is manifest, of course, that allthe gates at one time have the same relative positions. with respect tothe guideblades and rotor, and the delineation of these figures ismerely for the purpose of illustrating the different positions assumedby the gates under different conditions.

The details of construction and arrangement of parts shown and describedherein are merely for the exposition of the princiles of the invention,and it is to be understood that it is not the intention to benecessarily limited to such details and arrangements in theinterpretation of the claims hereinafter, as many changes andalterations may obviously be made without in the least ters Patent, is

1. In a fluid-motor, a rotor, guide-blades disposed in secant positionswith respect to the rotor and arranged to direct fluid thereto, gates tocontrol passage of fluid between the guide-blades longitudinally movablewith respect to the blades toward and from the rotor and arranged toassume secant positions with respect to the rotor when withdrawntherefrom, operating means for the gates, and means operable to causethe gates in movement toward the rotor to approach tangential positionwith respect thereto.

2. In a fluid-motor, a rotor, guide-blades disposed in secant positionswith respect to the rotor and arranged to direct fluid thereto, gates tocontrol passage of fluid between the guide-blades longitudinally movablewith respect to the blades toward and from the rotor and arranged toassume secant positions with respect to the rotor when withdrawntherefrom, operating means for the gates, and means cooperating betweenthe gates and blades to cause the gates in movement toward the rotor toapproach tangential position with respect thereto.

In a fluid-motor, a rotor, guide-blades arranged to direct fluid to saidrotor and each having a protuberance at its inner end, a gate carried byeach guide-blade and having a protuberance arranged to engage itsguide-blade protuberance, and means oper able to move said gates in onedirection to cause engagement of said protuberances and the gates toclose the entrances between said guide-blades and to move the gates inthe opposite direction to open the entrances.

4. In a fluid-motor, a rotor, guide-blades arranged to direct fluid tothe rotor, gates to control passage of fluid to the rotor havingportions deflected in direction of rotation of the rotor, operatingmeans for the gates, and means causing the deflected portions of thegates to assume secant positions with respect to the rotor when inwithdrawn position and to approach tangential position in movementtoward the rotor.

5. In a fluid-motor, a rotor, guide-blades arranged to direct fluid tothe rotor and formed with curved outer ends, a longitudinally-movablegate carried by each guideblade and arranged to be moved inwardly toclose the entrances between said guideblades and to be moved outwardlyto open said entrances and to take position with their outer ends behindthe curved outer ends of said guide-blades, and means whereby said gatesare moved longitudinally.

6. In a fluid-motor, a rotor, guide-blades arranged to direct fluid tothe rotor, each guide-blade being formed with transverse protuberances,a gate engaging the protuberances of each guide-blade, and means wherebysaid gates are longitudinally moved to open and close theentrancesbetween said guide-blades.

7. A fluid-motor comprising a casing having a peripheral openingtherein, a feederconduit arranged to deliver fluid through said openinginto the casing, a rotor in said casing, partitions extending from eachside of said opening and around the rotor, guideblades on saidpartitions and arranged to direct fluid to the rotor, gates on saidguideblades and operable longitudinallyto open and close the entrancesbetween said guideblades, and projections on said partitions engagingsaid gates to maintain them in positlon on said guide-blades.

8. In a fluid-motor, a rotor,guide-blades arranged to direct fluid tothe rotor, a longitudinally-movable gate on a guide-blade, a rack on thegate, a shaft disposed transversely of the gate, a pinion on the shaftin mesh with the rack and maintaining the gate in position against theguide-blade, and means whereby said shaft is rotated.

9. In a fluid-motor, a rotor, guide-blades arranged to direct fluid tothe rotor, a longitudinally-movable gate on each guideblade, a rack oneach gate having a blank longitudinal portion, a pinion in mesh witheach rack and having a blank peripheral portion in engagement with theblank longitudinal portion of the rack, shafts carrying the pinions, andmeans whereby said shafts are rotated.

10. In a fluid-motor, a casing having a pcripheral opening therein, afeeder-conduit arranged to deliver fluid through said opening into thecasing, a rotor in said casing, partitions extending from each side ofsaid opening and around the rotor, guide-blades carried by saidpartitions and arranged to direct fluid to the rotor, a gate on eachguideblade, a shaft for each gate journaled in said partitions, meansoperatively connecting each gate at a side to a shaft, and means wherebysaid shafts are rotated.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS, 13. LEE.

Witnesses:

W. T. LEE,

B. I-IU'roHIsoN.

